Marc André / Katarzyna Marek

Courage, freshness of perspective, and a natural urge to push boundaries — these are the qualities we most often associate with youth. In the world of music as well, for artists just entering the international stage, this is a time of intense activity that often, and rightly so, defies established conventions. The concert “Stars with Sinfonietta”, taking place on May 21 at 7:30 p.m. at the Kraków Philharmonic Hall, will offer an opportunity to admire performers who, despite their young age, are already attracting the attention of audiences and critics alike with their charisma and talent.

The soloist of the evening will be Marc André, a double bass virtuoso admired both for his technical mastery and for the noble sound of his instrument. International critics have described him as a “future global star” and “a soloist without limitations.” In Kraków, he will perform Giovanni Bottesini’s Concerto No. 2 in B minor, regarded as one of the most important works in the double bass repertoire and requiring extraordinary artistry from the performer. The concert will be conducted by Katarzyna Marek, a participant in the “Conductor-in-Residence” programme of the National Institute of Music and Dance, carried out with Sinfonietta Cracovia during the 2025/2026 season. The programme supports artists at the beginning of their professional careers by giving them the opportunity to collaborate with professional orchestras and renowned mentors.

In addition to Bottesini’s concerto, the programme will also feature Serenade for String Orchestra by Mieczysław Karłowicz. Composed by the barely twenty-year-old composer, the work reveals from its very first bars a surprisingly mature musical language and an exceptional sensitivity to orchestral colour. The culmination of the evening will be Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 4 in B-flat major, Op. 60, a work often regarded as the most classical and “radiant” of his symphonies. Chronologically positioned between the monumental Eroica and the dramatic Fifth Symphony, it brings a sense of lightness and joy into this period of the composer’s output.

The concert is co-organized by the National Institute of Music and Dance as part of the “Conductor-in-Residence” programme, financed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.

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